Apparatus and method for molding cooked rice

Abstract

There is provided a cooked rice molding apparatus capable of efficiently making back rolled sushi in which sushi rice is arranged so as to be directed to the surface side. When both ends of a rolling-up bamboo plate 5 are brought close to each other, a gap G allowing some of sushi rice R to be pulled out to the outside is provided in the abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo plate 5, whereby some of the sushi rice R is let to escape, and is rolled in a spiral form by being repositioned.

1 . A cooked rice molding apparatus comprising a rolling-up bamboo plate formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, and configured so as to mold cooked rice spread on the rolling-up bamboo plate into a rod shape together with dried layer and ingredients by bringing both ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate close to each other, wherein
 a gap allowing some of the cooked rice to be pulled out to the outside when both ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate have been brought close to each other is provided in the abutting portion of the rolling-up bamboo plate.   
     
     
         2 . The cooked rice molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rolling-up bamboo plate includes a base plate, first and second rotating plates one end of which is rotatably connected to both ends of the base plate, and a third rotating plate rotatably connected to the other end of the first rotating plate, and the third rotating plate is formed so that the width thereof is narrower than the width of the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . The cooked rice molding apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second rotating plate is formed so that the width thereof is wider than the width of the first rotating plate. 
     
     
         4 . A cooked rice molding method using a cooked rice molding apparatus comprising a rolling-up bamboo plate formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of plate-shaped pieces, and configured so as to mold cooked rice spread on the rolling-up bamboo plate into a rod shape together with dried layer and ingredients by bringing both ends of the rolling-up bamboo plate close to each other,
 the rolling-up bamboo plate including a base plate, first and second rotating plates one end of which is rotatably connected to both ends of the base plate, and a third rotating plate rotatably connected to the other end of the first rotating plate and formed so that the width thereof is narrower than the width of the base plate,   and comprising:   a supplying step of spreading cooked rice in a plate form on the rolling-up bamboo plate in a state in which the rolling-up bamboo plate is deployed horizontally, and placing a dried layer sheet and ingredients on the cooked rice;   a first pressing step of folding the first rotating plate and the second rotating plate in the direction such that these rotating plates are brought close to each other to erect these rotating plates at approximate right angles from both ends of the base plate; and   a second pressing step of folding the third rotating plate to the base plate side.   
     
     
         5 . The cooked rice molding method according to  claim 4 , wherein the cooked rice molding method further comprises a repositioning step of deploying the rolling-up bamboo plate in the horizontal state and then repositioning the cooked rice molded in the second pressing step due to the cooked rice being rotated through about 90 degrees on the rolling-up bamboo plate, and a third pressing step of performing the first pressing step and the second pressing step again.